7 Ways Engineers Can Sustain the Global Population
Engineers Week: February 19 – 25
Where would we be without Edison? Without Henry Ford or the Wright Brothers? The difference is unimaginable. Even 100 years ago, people struggled against disease, pollution, cultural divides and horrible working conditions. Engineers and scientists have shaped the modern world as we know it, and they are the ones we’ll count on for a better tomorrow. In honor of the 2012 National Engineers Week, here are 7 Ways Engineers will Sustain the Global Population. [Click the Image to Read More]
1. Food: For Thought
Today’s resources need to sustain a population of 7 billion. How about this for a challenge: In 2050, the world population will be 9 billion, and to meet the demand, worldwide food production will need to increase by 70%. That’s serious food for thought (or thought for food). While it is the subject of extensive debate, engineering efforts to genetically modified crops-when checked by adequate safety standards-are an integral part of the solution. [Click the Image to Read More]
2. Travel: Faster Than a Speeding Bullet
Engineers and designers in the automotive, aeronautical and aerospace industries have accomplished more than their fair share in the effort for global sustainability. That people can travel to all four corners of the globe (and beyond!) in a safe and timely manner has opened borders and inspired multinational collaboration and mass production. Particularly in the area of flight, we are seeing innovation that will shape the concept of travel as we know it. [Click the Image to Read More]
3. Energy: Guiding Our Past, Present, and Future
While the topic of energy—old or new—is often a contentious political debate, the fact is, we can leverage our engineering expertise and new technologies to sustain our population of 7 billion. . . And the planet. Although we can all do our part to regulate energy consumption, engineers are an integral part of the solution. Smart use of oil, efficient process materials and affordable solar energy are 3 arenas where engineers can pave a sustainable future. [Click the Image to Read More]
4. Infrastructure: Bridging the Present and Future
We often take safe roads and bridges for granted. Truthfully, more than 1 billion people throughout the globe have no access to roads, essentially trapping them in communities where medicine, education and even safe drinking water are unattainable luxuries. Improved infrastructure is arguably the most direct way to alleviate the hardships of the poorest regions of the world, and major engineering companies and organizations are spearheading the initiative. [Click the Image to Read More]
5. Water: An Unquenchable Thirst
No life can exist on earth without water. The World Bank reports that 80 countries are battling water shortages, and a shocking 40 percent of the world has no access to clean water or sanitation. While our planet produces plenty of fresh drinking water, it’s not located in the right places for many due to economic strife, political barriers and complications in infrastructure among other issues. The engineer plays a vital role in the fight against thirst. [Click the Image to Read More]
6. Medicine: Engineering a Healthier Tomorrow
In the field of Biomedical Engineering, innovation is constant and the possibility for new medicine seems infinite. In the context of sustainability, though, a separate challenge is making it accessible throughout the world, particularly throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America. This complex issue is more than any one engineer, researcher or chemist can handle, but global cooperation and engineering expertise are both an integral part of the solution. [Click the Image to Read More]
7. Housing: Built To Last
Design and construction engineers are tasked with balancing innovative, energy-efficient designs with safety standards and cost-control. Engineers are entrusted with creating safe and reliable buildings throughout the world, from the smallest family homes to the tallest skyscrapers. Additionally, “green” designs present a new wave of challenges, and it is an exciting time for designers and engineers to define the housing standards for the next generation. [Click the Image to Read More]
